


dating

by alessandriana



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:27:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alessandriana/pseuds/alessandriana
Summary: "The problem is," Ivan said out of nowhere, "that you still haven'tdatedher."
Relationships: Gregor Vorbarra & Ivan Vorpatril, Gregor Vorbarra/Laisa Toscane Vorbarra
Comments: 9
Kudos: 66





	dating

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SouthernContinentSkies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SouthernContinentSkies/gifts).



> Written as a distraction from the election, for SouthernContinentSkies' prompt: "Vorkosigan Saga, Gregor and/or Ivan, dating".

"The problem is," Ivan said out of nowhere, "that you still haven't _dated_ her."

Gregor lifted his gaze from the mountainous pile of wedding plans he was reviewing-- yes, he'd already signed off on most of it, but it all had to be reviewed _one last time_ before the wedding-- and eyed Ivan, not sure if he was glad for the distraction or not. For the last several days he'd started to feel like he was vibrating, very slightly and invisibly, with nerves. "I haven't? You dined with us just last night, as I recall." It had been a private dinner, just close family-- one last go before the wedding overtook everything else.

Ivan waved a hand airily. His own pile of tasks teetered on the table before he stabilized it with the other hand. "That's not dating, that's _courting_. There's a difference."

"Mm. And that difference is...?"

Ivan tapped his chin, pensive; he seemed to be considering the question quite carefully. Rather against his own wishes, Gregor found himself interested in the answer. Ivan _did_ have rather a lot of experience going on dates. (Though the success of those dates could be, and often was, debated.)

_"Spontaneity_ ," Ivan finally declared.

"Spontaneity," Gregor repeated, dubious. The last time Gregor had tried _spontaneity_ , he'd toppled off a balcony.

"Exactly. Just going out, and seeing what happens. Isn't that your favorite thing? This one time, the lady and I ended up stranded on a boat in the middle of the river, with no oars... I thought we'd get swept out to sea. We had to wave someone down when we floated past Star Bridge," Ivan reminisced, eyes crinkling with the memory. Then he seemed to recollect himself. " _Not_ that I'm suggesting you do something like that!"

"Lady Alys would rather object," Gregor said, fascinated by this look into his cousin's love life. Ivan shuddered. "When was this?"

"I must have been... say, twenty? Or thereabouts."

A distant bell rang. "Was this Count Vorkraft's daughter, by chance?"

Ivan looked at him askance. "Er... a gentleman really shouldn't kiss and tell." 

Gregor tapped a finger on the stack of flimsies. "For a couple of years there, he had rather an obsession with ensuring the river was patrolled more often. Petitioned me as Count Vorbarra multiple times about it. I must confess, I never _quite_ understood the reasoning."

Ivan tugged at his collar; his face had turned rather a mottled shade of red. "I'm sure it must have been for some other reason," he mumbled. He plucked a reader off the top of his pile, ostensibly going back to his work.

Gregor turned back to his own, though his brain had continued to work. _Just going out, and seeing what happens_...

\---

Two days later, Ivan was cornered early in the morning by his mother, who had a particularly steely glint in her eye that Ivan knew meant he was in trouble. Though he wasn't entirely sure _how_ , this time; he hadn't done anything but wedding prep for days. Ivan glanced around in desperation, but this section of the hallway had no convenient doors he could duck into. "Mamere," he said. Despite himself, the word lilted up into a question at the end.

To his surprise, she didn't immediately start into him. Instead she gave him a long, assessing look.

When she spoke, it was only to say, "Gregor has been under a great deal of stress these last few weeks, preparing for the wedding. As has Laisa."

Ivan blinked. "I... yes?"

She just looked at him again, and then nodded. "It is a very good thing," she said, "that the south pond is so thoroughly screened by trees. ImpSec will hardly have to scrub any cameras." She sniffed-- Ivan might even have called it a snort, if it hadn't been so ladylike. "Though I think the swans may be a bit traumatized."

Then she swept off down the corridor, leaving Ivan, baffled, in her wake.

(Gregor, when Ivan saw him next, was smiling.)


End file.
